Let’s be real: When you’re rich, famous, and continuously living in the public eye, sometimes you need a little dose of adrenaline every now and then. For some celebrities, adrenaline comes from high-speed vehicles or exotic vacations. For others? All-night poker binges, after-hours blackjack jaunts, and spinning the virtual roulette wheel in their high-rise suites.
Yes, several of your favorite stars are closet (and not-so-closet) gamblers – and some of them are quite good at it as well. Most of these celebrities are especially known to visit flashy casinos in-person, but you can also join in on the fun through this mobile-friendly casino site available in Canada, meaning you don’t have to leave your home to join the celebrity fun. Here’s a dive into the starry world of online casinos, card sharks, and hair-raising betting tales that read like straight-from-the-Hollywood-blockbusters.
Ben Affleck: The blackjack king of Hollywood
Let’s begin with one of Hollywood’s most familiar faces: Ben Affleck. Most people know him as the one hidden behind Batman’s cowl or the mastermind behind Argo, but Affleck has one other title to his credit – he’s really very good at blackjack.
How good, you wonder? So good that the Hard Rock Casino in Las Vegas reportedly asked him to stop playing, because they suspected him of counting cards. That’s basically the same as being too good at Monopoly and getting kicked off game night. Affleck also has a formidable poker game, beating the California State Poker Championship in 2004. Rumor has it that he used to challenge his private games with other A-listers where the buy-in was worth as much as a Tesla.
Tobey Maguire: Your friendly neighborhood poker shark
Another actor who’s got some serious poker chips? Tobey Maguire. You might think of him as having been the original on-screen Spider-Man, but off screen, he’s been spinning a very different kind of web.
Maguire was a fixture at Molly Bloom’s storied underground poker nights (yes, they based the movie Molly’s Game on her life). They were a series of Hollywood celebrities, Wall Street titans, and the occasional shady character. Maguire raked it in at the tables, winning millions with a smooth, measured game. He’s the boy next door, but when he plays poker, Tobey is in to win it.
Jennifer Tilly: The poker queen
Jennifer Tilly, the Academy Award-nominated actress, has a sultry voice and is endearing on screen, but don’t let that fool you – she’s a stone-cold killer at the tables.
Tilly won a World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet in 2005 and has since become a fixture on the pro poker circuit. She’s known for duking it out with some of the biggest names in the industry and has said in interviews that she prefers the thrill of poker to acting. And she’s not doing it for recreation – she’s taken home millions of dollars in her time. Talk about brains and beauty.
Michael Jordan: Wager on MJ
We all recognize MJ as one of the greatest sportsmen of all time, but the public also recognizes him for his betting addiction. Stories of Jordan’s legendary golf bets abound – some say he would wager tens of thousands on a single hole.
He’s also been known to spend hours at casinos and playing blackjack. Actually, his competitive streak could be one of the reasons he loves gambling so much – it’s another place he can conquer. That being said, not everything has been easy. Jordan has had criticism throughout the years for his high-stakes lifestyle, but he’s never denied his passion for the game.
Snoop Dogg: High rolls and low stakes vibes
You wouldn’t expect the laid-back Doggfather to be a high-stress poker player, and you’d be right. Snoop’s relationship with gambling is more about fun and flair than winning big. He’s even featured in his own slot machine game – “Snoop Dogg’s Reel Riches” – which feels like the ultimate crossover between hip-hop and high-stakes.
Snoop has even gone into online gaming and casino advertising, proving he’s not just about the tunes – he’s also here for the vibes and swirls of good luck.
Pamela Anderson: All-in on the action
Pamela Anderson is perhaps best known for running in slo-mo on Baywatch shores, but she’s also well-versed in the arena of casinos. Over the years, she’s been linked with some high-profile gambling stories.
One of the wildest tales? She allegedly wed professional gambler Rick Salomon (of Paris Hilton sex tape notoriety) to pay off a gambling debt once. True or just gossip money, it’s clear that Pamela’s had casino soap operas of her own. She’s even appeared on the face of many branded slots. It seems, she’s as much a Vegas casino staple as she was a ’90s TV presence.
50 Cent, Drake and the online gambling frenzy
It’s not poker and blackjack anymore. With online casinos and crypto-accepting gaming platforms, celebrities now are diving into online gambling in large numbers.
50 Cent has talked openly about betting on sports action, and Drake, the Canadian superstar, streamed himself wagering enormous sums on roulette. Drake once bet $1 million during a single session online – that’s greater than most of us will make in ten years. These guys have made gambling something that’s become part of their online persona. They’re not gaming; they’re performing.
Charles Barkley: Wagering big, laughing louder
NBA icon Charles Barkley is always larger than life, and so is his approach to gambling. He’s confessed to losing up to $30 million over the years but claims he never regrets it.
Barkley views gambling the same way he views golf – it’s simply entertainment. He’s even stated that he doesn’t care about losing a million dollars, but will lose his mind over a lost putt. At least, Barkley’s honesty about his peaks and valleys makes him one of the most relatable gambling stars on the scene.
